Inspiration

150g butter (softened)
160g soft light brown sugar
1 egg
1 orange, zested
2 tsp vanilla extract
225g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground clove
A pinch of salt
75g dark chocolate chips (optional)

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. (A tip: if you’ve forgotten to take your butter out of the fridge in time to soften, cut it into cubes and then add these to a bowl of lukewarm water for ten minutes. Drain, and they’ll be perfectly soft and ready for creaming with the sugar.)
3. Once the butter and sugar mixture is smooth, beat in the egg, orange zest and the vanilla extract (if it starts to curdle, add a spoonful or two of flour now).
4. Sieve in the flour and bicarbonate of soda along with the spices and a pinch of salt, and stir to combine. That done, you can add in the chocolate chips at this point if you’re including them.
5. Take teaspoons of the dough and roll into small balls. Place on a lined baking tray, press down gently and bake for about nine minutes, until beginning to brown around the edges.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Serve with a glass of milk (or Santa’s tipple of choice) and a carrot for the reindeer, of course.